I'm torn two ways here. Really we ought to go for the gold standard of a
fully interchangeable record, and we must wait for a common standard on
that. Not waiting means that we will end up with a fiasco like X2/56K in
modem land, both giving way to V90.
However, waiting for the gold standard will probably mean waiting - and
waiting - and waiting.
Surely though we already have a way forward. All IOS and registration
information is defined in EDIFACT. If we could just transfer that it would
be better than nothing. We then need a group of cognoscenti to build on that
base to add all the other functions - but they can be building blocks that
allow what we already have to grow.
Surely the way forward is for the system suppliers to break the habit of a
lifetime and co-operate. If we wait for the DoH we might as well forget it.
Or am I missing something here?
-----Original Message-----
From: [log in to unmask] [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On
Behalf Of P S Buttar
Sent: 02 June 1998 12:43
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: RE: Data conversion/transfer: a proposal
> However, I don’t think that the provision of such information provides
much of the solution to good quality data transfer between systems It just
removes some of the initial guesswork which is otherwise required.
>
> Just looking at you file to illustrate a few of the issues that hit me on
a cursory examination.
[snip]
Good points, all. Many could be addressed if you saw some sample data,
others will require a little more information from me - I will modify the
file accordingly.
> I not trying to be destructive but the fact that you feel the provision of
a format like yours is a solution to the problem of data conversion and
transfer between systems worries me. To adequately represent the information
in a comprehensive GP system the structure needs to be much richer than your
example and there has to be a unambiguous definition of the data contained
in that structure.
Point taken. The fact that it's difficult shouldn't be a reason for not
trying to do it, though. Even if all we can achieve is a transfer of patient
registration details, repeat scrips, consultations, and Read codes, that
would still be an enormous leap forward from the current position of no such
exchange at all.
Prit
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